Love and War
by AmyVS7
Summary: Set during the final battle at Hogwarts - Will Harry be able to find Hermione and destroy Voldermort before it's too late? h/hr. One shot.


Harry Potter fic:

Pairing - Harry/Hermione

Disclaimer - I own nothing .. J.K. Rowling original work.

Spoilers - Deathly Hallows

Summary - Set during the final battle at Hogwarts - Will Harry be able to find Hermione _and_ destroy Voldermort before it's too late? Hope you enjoy!

**Love and War**

"Ron just go, your family need you!" Harry shouted to him above all the screams and yelling of curses in the background.

"They don't need me, they'll be fine. I need to help you, Harry."

"I'm fine, just go, look after them. I'll be fine here."

Ron gave Harry a look of pure understanding and gratefulness, along with a smile showing simply that he had faith in his best friend. Ron knew only too well the power that resumed inside Harry to be able to do what he was destined to finish.

"Thank-you" were Ron's final, grateful, words before he ran out of the school gates into Hogsmeade and disapparated.

Harry ran back up to the castle and continued running down corridor after corridor, where he came across more death eaters.

Hogwarts was in the midst of the final battle against Voldermort and his death-eaters. All the Aurors available had been transferred to the castle to fight, along with the teachers and a few members of the D.A.

Harry knew he had to keep fighting; for the sake of humanity, for the sake of the entire world. He was grateful that Ron had gone; it eased the nervousness inside him slightly, now knowing that one of his best friend's was safe and unharmed. However, there was another all too familiar person Harry was much more concerned about.

Hermione Granger had disappeared nearly an hour ago whilst fighting with other death eaters, and Harry, nor Ron for that matter, had seen or heard from her since.

The very thoughts of what could have happened to Hermione were coursing through Harry's mind. He could not bear to think of the possible consequences, and he knew that he had to find Hermione…and fast!

Exploding stonework and debris were flying through the air like shooting stars, people's deathly screams echoed through the midnight air, causing the atmosphere to become even more tomblike. Bodies were littering the floor, steadily being taken away when no death eaters were nearby.

Harry was a corridor away from the Entrance Hall, having just fought off another death eater, when Lupin came running up to him.

"Harry, we have wiped out all of them on the upper floors, we have called for back-up and the remaining Aurors to move onto this ground floor to fight off the rest." He touched the top of Harry's arm "You can stop now Harry, let us deal with the rest."

"I can't!" Harry said in exasperation "Don't you understand Remus; as long as _he's_ still around I can't stop! I just can't."

"He isn't here Harry" Remus assured him "Voldermort cannot get in, the security is too high and even if he was already here, I'm almost certain he would have made his presence known by now."

"Oh he's here" Harry said with the air of knowingness "I can sense it" he rubbed his lightening bolt scar ever so gently "Remus, can you promise me something?"

"Anything, Harry."

"When it's over, when Voldermort's gone …" Harry gulped "And if I'm no longer…" He looked straight into Remus's eyes, not being able to utter the word "Tell everyone they are not to blame for anything….and if you see Hermione tell her…tell her I …"

Remus gave Harry a knowing smile "That you love her?"

Harry gave a look of wonder towards Remus, amazed at how he could know what he was going to say. Harry was just about to respond but did not get the chance as a jet of red light struck the glass cabinet behind them, missing the two of them by inches. The glass shattering to a million fragmented pieces onto the floor around them.

Remus started battling with the death-eater that had shot the curse, whilst Harry ran off but not before Remus told him "I won't forget what you said Harry. I promise you. And be careful!"

Harry continued to battle on bravely for a few hours, nearly getting knocked out and even killed in a number of close incidences. Harry still could not find Hermione anywhere he went. Even when he asked a few people he knew, none of them had any clue where Hermione was.

After a while, another Auror came up to tell him that all the D.A members had been taken to safety and that there were only a couple of death eaters left alive. They were winning. For the first time Harry actually had confidence, believability and optimism that they could win this. It could all end.

Nevertheless fighting was still necessary, and Harry ran down into the dungeons to see if there were any death eaters lurking in the depths, or to see if any Aurors needed some assistance.

However, a sudden blood curdling scream stopped Harry in his tracks, a scream he had heard many times before and recognised all too well.

Hermione.

Within an instant, Harry ran straight towards the source of the noise and the closer he got the louder her screams and cries were.

Harry rounded a corner and there she was. Hermione was in a fairly large, dirty and desolate dungeon room; just slumped against a wall, holding herself in agony. Hermione's curly brown hair was all messed up, like she had been running through the forest. Her long-sleeved blue top was ripped in places. Red raw scratches were imbedded on her slender neck and on her tear stained cheeks. Aswell as a small, deep, cut was prevalent on her right hand.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed loudly in panic, instantly making his way towards his female best friend.

Hermione's eyes widened in horror as soon as she lay eyes on Harry "No, Harry! Stay where you are!"

"Well, well, well, Harry Potter … made it at last."

Harry recognised that voice. The same voice which haunted his nightmares, his thoughts and even his own conscience.

Harry stood completely stone still, as if he had actually been petrified. The pain in his scar was escalating rapidly, but Harry tried beyond all his power to block it out. Voldermort's appearance came into view out of the depths of the deep dark shadows, as the black cloaked figure glided around him to stand face to face "Took you long enough."

"Leave Hermione alone!" were the first words that escaped from Harry's lips.

Voldermort gave a callous laugh "Did you really think it would be that simple?"

Harry could feel the rage bubbling inside of him "You're here for me, not her, just let Hermione go and you can do what you want to me."

"Harry, no!" Hermione cried from behind Voldermort.

Voldermort turned swiftly to look at Hermione, who was crumpled in pain against the wall, shaking like a leaf.

"I told you to shut up, you filthy mudblood. Crucio!"

The curse hit Hermione and she screamed and screamed in pain beyond all comprehension. Harry could not bear to see Hermione being treated this way; he had never felt anger like this in his life. Anger and bitterness too high to even contemplate.

"Crucio!" Harry cried and the curse hit Voldermort. It did nothing.

Voldermort stopped using the curse on Hermione and turned to face Harry again with laughter "Did you honestly think that curse would work on me?"

Harry was not watching him, he was looking at Hermione who was crying her eyes out, clutching herself in utter agony as she looked at Harry with desperate, pleading, eyes.

Harry was breathing heavily, trying to control his fury.

"Why are you keeping Hermione here, she is nothing to you?!" Harry bellowed.

"Oh but she is" Voldermort said slily "The best friend and secret love of Harry Potter. It pleases me very much to see you watching your love being tortured right in front of your very eyes."

Harry gave Voldermort a look of complete contempt "You are beyond evil, Voldermort! What you've done, what you are doing to innocent people, it's too sick to be human…you aren't human anymore. I don't think you ever were!"

Voldermort just laughed in Harry's face "Harry Potter, so called insults such as that have no effect on me. I have my army of death eaters, I'm way beyond any power that has ever existed, and you and your _filthy_ mudblood love are going to suffer the consequences."

Harry then did something that surprised even Voldermort. Harry laughed. "Powerful? Voldermort your death eaters are gone. They are all dead. It's just you, alone, all on your own."

Voldermort was seething "Shut up boy, you are spilling putrid lies."

"Call for them" Harry said simply, even secretly smugly "Go on, if you are so unbelievably arrogant to think that they are all still alive, then do it."

Within a millisecond Voldermort pointed his wand at his death eater mark on his arm that turned instantly jet black, signalling for the other death eaters to congregate.

There was nothing. Nobody came.

Harry gave a smirk "See. All gone! No one left to defend you now."

"Crucio!" Voldermort called and the jet of the curse hit Harry squarely in the stomach, causing Harry to double up and collapse to the floor in agony.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed from the top of her voice.

Voldermort laughed heartlessly at seeing Harry writhing in pain and listening to his piercing screams.

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Hermione cried in desperation, tears running down her pale cheeks.

"How does it feel mudblood, to see the man you love under torture?" Voldermort demanded after he had eventually let the curse submit on Harry.

Hermione was seething with rage and managed to muster enough strength to stand up.

"You'll never understand Voldermort" Hermione said confidently "because you will _never_ know what love truly is."

"You silly little girl!" Voldermort laughed "Your simple words mean nothing."

"Oh but they do" Hermione said with an air of righteousness.

Harry had recovered from the pain and was sitting up on the floor, watching Hermione with apprehension, but also with curiosity at what she was saying.

Hermione spotted someone standing in the doorway to the dungeon room. Lupin and two other Aurors were standing there, yet she did not make it obvious so as not to alert Voldermort of their existence. It seemed to be working, as Voldermort had not acknowledged their presence and appeared to be completely oblivious.

Harry, however, had spotted them too. But, like Hermione, he tried to hide it. Instead Harry found the strength to stand up right and was edging slightly to the left, back towards where Hermione was still standing. Voldermort could see Harry moving out of the corner of his eye, but his attention was still fixated on Hermione who was now talking again.

"You think all of these unforgivable curses are the most powerful things in the wizarding world, but they aren't. Love will forever be the most powerful tool, and without that you have nothing. Have you not realised yet, that love can conquer _anything_ and _everything_? You will _never_ experience that kind of power, Voldermort. Never. Harry is alive today because of that very emotion that protected him. That love will always keep him alive and protect him. Whereas you…" she gave him the dirtiest look "will die and pay the price you truly deserve to pay." Hermione gave a determined look on her face "NOW!" she screamed.

Harry shouted "Avada Kedavra" at Voldermort who had no chance to respond and the jet of light hit him directly in the chest.

Voldermort crumpling to a heap on the floor. Dead.

There was silence and heavy breathing for a few seconds as Lupin and the two Aurors came rushing into the dungeon room to retrieve the body.

"Are you two alright?" Lupin asked and Harry and Hermione both nodded, almost frozen to the spot, not quite believing what had just happened.

"We'll be in the Great Hall with the others if you need us" Lupin told them and smiled "Well done."

Within a second, the body of Voldermort was taken away by the Aurors and Lupin. Leaving Harry and Hermione alone in the very empty dungeon room.

Harry looked at Hermione, and she gazed directly back at him. Without a single word being said, Harry rushed up to Hermione and hugged her with all the love and strength that he still had left. Hermione was clinging onto him with all her might, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and she began crying into his shoulder.

Harry quickly brought Hermione with him to sit against the wall, not letting go of her for an instant. Harry just sat leaning against the dirty dungeon walls, with Hermione snuggled into him, crying her heart out.

"I'm so, so sorry Hermione" Harry told her earnestly and rubbed her arm gently before kissing the top of her head "I'm so, so sorry for what he did to you. You will never go through anything like that ever again, I swear on my life."

Hermione could not stop crying and Harry felt so incredibly guilty for what she had had to go through.

"Aww Hermione, come here" he brought her to sit in his lap and Hermione lay against Harry's chest, with Harry keeping his arms wrapped around her delicate frame and rocking her gently.

"Shhh Hermione don't cry, I can't bear to see you upset."

They sat in this same position for well over an hour, with Harry comforting Hermione as much as he could and saying reassuring words to her quietly.

Hermione eventually stopped crying and lifted her head off Harry's chest to gaze at him.

"Harry?" she said quietly.

"Yes, I'm here Hermione. It's alright now. It's all over."

Hermione gave a small smile "Thank-you for coming to save me. He wanted to know where you were, and tortured me many times" she gave a sniff "but I never told him."

Harry took her uninjured hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb over it "Hermione, you should have told him where I was... you did not need, or deserve, to be put through all of that torture just to protect me."

"I couldn't let him go after you … If he'd of killed you, after I told him where you were, I would never have been able to live with myself … I just couldn't… I would never, _ever_ betray your trust, Harry" she almost burst into tears again but Harry hugged her to calm her down again.

"You are incredible Hermione, d'you know that?" he said truthfully.

She smiled slightly "Not as incredible as you… I'm so proud of you Harry, he's gone now. You can now finally be happy and move on with your life."

Harry gave a sigh "But how can I, when I know what he did to you?" he looked frustrated and angry "how can I live with myself knowing what he put you through … I will never forget what happened to you today. That was one of the _worst_ moments I've ever experienced, seeing you being tortured like that. I just feel so angry!"

"Shhh" Hermione cupped his cheek "It's alright now, I'm okay, don't beat yourself up about it Harry. You came to find me and we are both still alive, that's all that matters."

Harry looked deeply into Hermione's eyes and within a second, the two of them began kissing tenderly. They soon broke apart, however, and gazed at eachother, hope swimming in both their eyes.

"I think you know how I feel about you now" Hermione giggled.

Harry beamed "I think I've always felt this way about you Hermione, I just didn't allow myself to admit the truth."

Hermione giggled again "What am I going to do with you, eh?"

Harry smiled brightly "I'm sure you'll find a way … you always do" he kissed her forehead gently and looked at her lovingly "I have fallen in love with you, Hermione Granger."

"I love you too, Harry Potter" Hermione told him all too delightedly, before the two of them kissed deeply once more.

****

A review would make me very happy indeed :)


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